By-pass connection for meters



Nov. 22, 1932. R. L. WRIIGHT 1,888,524

BY-PASS C ONNECTION FOR METERS Filed 001;. 25, 1930 gmentot 2066/ 1 L. Wr/y/ Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED. STATES ROBERT L. WRIGHT, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA BY-PASS ooNNEcrroN For; METERS Application. filed October 25, 1930. Serial No. 491,299.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in by-pass connections for meters.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for by-passing either a fluid, such as air or gas, or a liquid, such as oil or water, around a meter, whereby an excess of either the gas or oil will be taken care of and the meter will not be required to handle either gas or oil beyond its capacity. Where the meter is handling liquid the by-passing of air and gas will make for accuracy in th operation of said meter.

A further object of the invention is to provide an upright container connected with the inlet side of a meter and having suflicient height to permit the liquid to build up to such a height that its hydrostatic pressure or force will overcome the pressure drop through the meter and thus assure gravity operation and effective performance of the meter.

A still further object of the invention is to influent and produce a uniform operation of the meter, but to bypass an excess of gas and oil around the meter. The advantages of this feature are, that should there be an overproduction or supply, the excess will be bypassed around the meter, or if the meter should fail to operate and cause the building up of an excess, thelatter will be taken care of.

" Another object of the invention is to provide means for trapping out the sand, dirt and other extraneous matter in advance of the meter, thus protecting the latter.

An important object of the invention is to 0 provide a by-pass for a meter, wherein a pressure fluid under pressure greater than atmos phere other than the gas being measured may be introduced to maintain the liquid approximately at the liquid outlet, particularly where the liquid is being discharged against greater than atmospheric pressure.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily underelevation as to permit a rise and fall of the stood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to-the accompanying drawing in which an example of the invention is shown, and whereinzs Figure .1 is an elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the invention,

' Figure 2 is a plan viewof the same,

Figure 3 is a partial elevation of the tower showing a modified form of inlet. 3

In the drawing'the numeral designates 60 an upright tank or tower and 11 a vertical column or pipe spaced therefrom. Thetop of the tower is connected with-the top of the column by a horizontal .pipe- 12. A transverse pipe 13 connects the lower ends of the tower and the pipe and includes a valve 14. A supply pipe 15 enters the tower toward the upper end of the latter. This pipe is connected to the well and conducts the efliuent therefrom. A dischargepipe 16 leads from the lower portion of the column, but well above the pipe 13. 1

An oil meter 17 is mounted between the tower and the columnandinay beof any suitable construction. The inlet side of the meter is connected with the lower portion of the tower by apipe 18, while the outlet side of the meter is connected with the lower: end

of the columnby a pipe 19. The pipe 19 enters the column just below thepipe16. A 1 gas supply pipe 20 enters the top of the tower, while a similar pipe 21 is connected to the meter. 1 While some gas will enter the tower 10 with the oil fiowingin from the pipe 15, it is 85. necessary to admit additional gas from the pipe 20. This admitted gas flows through the pipe 12 to the column 11 and builds up sufficient pressure therein to hold the oil therein (discharged from the meter) on a level or slightly below the discharge pipe 16. As the meter will offer resistance to the passage of the oil, the latter will rise higher in the tower than in the column. This builtup column of oil in the tower will create a head or head-pressure. This headpressure is sufiicient to force the oil through the meter. If the oil is built up in the tower to the top, it would by-pass through the'pipe 12 into the column 11. The tower is high enough to take care of the flow from a surging well.

It is obvious that if the fluid is discharged through the pipe 16 merely against atmospheric pressure, it would not be necessary to add gas from the pipe 20. In order to equalize the gas pressure in the meter the gas supply pipe 21 is used. Those portions of the tower and column situated below the pipes 18 and 19 form sand and dirt traps and these materials are precluded from entering the meter. By opening thevalvel i the tower and columnare flushed out by way of the p p j o 'While I have shown the inlet pipe 15 as entering the tower 10 at above mid-height, it

is obvious that this pipe could enterat a lower elevation, as isindicated' in Figure 3 where the inlet pipe 15. isshown asentering the tank 10 below the pipe 18. Owing to the resistance offered by the meter, a sufficient head of liquid will be built up in'the tower 10 to cause a gravity operation of the meter.

The tower 110 is made high enough to take.

care of fluctuations in the rise and fall of'the head therein without overflowing into the column 11, unless there is such an excess as to require by-passing. It is also pointed out that the pressurefluid, suchas gas, which is illustrated as being introduced through the pipe, may be introduced in any suitable manner. I v

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts, as well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Having illustrated and described preferred forms ofthe invention, what I "claim, is:

. 1. ln'a by-pass for oil meters, a pair ofupright containers, an oil meter connected between the containers to receive oil from one container and discharge it into the other container, an oil inlet pipe connected to the inlet container atan elevation considerably above the meter connection, whereby ahead of oil isbuilt up in said inlet container, an outlet pipe extending from the outlet container adjacent the meter connection at a considerably lower elevation than the inlet pipe, and means for admitting to theupper portion of the inlet container fluid under pressure other than the oil or the fluid contained therein, for building up arpressure against the oil discharged from the meter.

2. A by-pass for oil metersas set forth in claim 1, with the upper ends of the containers connected for overflow from the inlet container to the outlet container.

3. In a bypass for meters, a pair of fluid containers between which the meter is con nected, an inlet pipe entering one of the containers, an outlet pipe extending from the other containers, and means separate from a the inlet pipe for admitting a fluid to the 4. In a by-pass for meters, a pair of fluid,

containers between the lower portions of which the meter is connected, an inlet pipe entering one of the containers, an outlet pipe extending from the other container, a pipe connecting the upper ends of the containers and closed to the atmosphere, and means separate from the inlet pipe for admitting an auxiliary fluid under pressure to the cont ainers.

- 5. In a by-pass'for' meters, a pair of fluid containers having meter connections above their bottoms so that extraneous matter may be collected in said bottoms, a pipe connected between the bottoms of the containers including a Valve, an inlet pipe entering one of the containers, and an outlet pipe extending from the other container. 7

6. In a by-pass for oil meters, a pair of up right containers between the lower ends of which the meter is connected, an oil inlet pipe entering one of the containers, an oil outlet pipe extending from the other container, and a pipe connecting the containers below the meter connections andincludinga valve, whereby extraneous matter may be collected in and discharged from said containers. I

7. A by-pass as set forth in claim 3, and means for also introducing the fluid pressure into the meter. v 7 8. In a bypass for oil meters, an upright tower, an upright column, an oil inlet. pipe connected to the tower, a pipe for admitting fluid under pressure connected to the tower above the inlet pipe, a pipe connecting the upper end of the tower with the uper end of the column and closed to the atmosphere,

meter connections extending from the tower for connecting a meter therebetween, and a discharge pipe leading from thecolumn ad} jacent the meter connection, the tower being considerably larger in diameter thanthe pressure and to compensate fluctuations .in

the supply. 1 v I 9. In a by-pass for'oil meters, an upright tower, an upright column adjacent thereto,

a pipe closed to theatmosphere connecting the upper ends'of the tower and column, an Oll meter inlet pipe extending from the lower end of the tower, an oil meter outlet pipe connected to the lower end of the column,

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

ROBERT L. WRIGHT.

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